30th April, 2015
Harrison Iyoha
Kogi State University, KSU, Anyigba, Kogi State, has directed its lecturers and students to return to school for academic activities, following the suspension of a two-month old industrial action.
The students of the institution have now returned to school after the forced break.
The lecturers had embarked on strike two months ago over a labour dispute with the school management.
The Chairman of Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU, KSU chapter, Comrade Moses Balogun, said that the workers were sgrappling with poor welfare and gross mismanagement that has reduced the standard of learning in the institution.
He also blamed the university’s governing council and the management for the poor facilities in the institution.
Balogun added that the unions had signed an agreement with the state government in 2009 over the improvement of workers’ welfare but the government was yet to act on it.
The striking workers agreed to call off the industrial action after representatives of the Students’ Union Government, SUG of the school appealed to them.
The management of the university has now ordered that academic activities resume immediately with a view of reviewing the school calendar to enable students meet up with their studies.
It also directed all students of the university to adjust themselves with the situation on ground.
Some students who spoke with our correspondent, blamed the school management for allowing things to degenerate this far before doing the needful.
Busayo, a 200 level student of the institution, said there was no reason for the school management not to have listened to their lecturers when they knew that the lecturers were asking for what rightfully belongs to them.
“Can you imagine what we have lost these two months we have stayed at home? These people don’t have our time that’s why they behave the way they do.
“Before the strike started, the state government failed to do anything to meet the lecturers’ demands because they were too carried away with the elections and now they have failed to deliver for their party,” she said.
Samuel, another student is yet to come to terms with why strike is always the best option to settle minor issues in Nigeria.
“I was bored for the two months that the strike lasted and I am tired of staying at home doing nothing. I know many like me will also be tired so the school should always consider the school calendar. Our colleagues in other schools are far ahead of us now.”